Book Review: Whole Earth Discipline An Ecopragmatist Manifesto by Stewart Brand Atlantic Books 2009 316pp “Civilization is at risk, but civilization is the problem”. Stewart Brand is one of the iconic founders of the environmental movement, an original old hippy whose influence on the boomer generation should not be understated. With his latest book Whole [...]
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It is now exactly 6 months since I set up my 600watt at Derryduff. Having now reached the shortest days of the year I am in a position to evaluate its performance, and I can say it has served me very well. Obviously there has been a huge difference in power availability between summer and [...]
I just wired up a new photovoltaic array- an auspicious time to do it on the longest- and so far the sunniest- day of the year. Delivering a cool 600 watts of raw solar power at 24volts, the impressive bank of solar electric panels represents a true powering up here at Derryduff. The panels cost [...]
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The Real Perils of Human Population Growth by David and Marcia Pimentel The present world population of 6.7 billion is projected by the United Nations to increase to 9 billion and may rise to as many as 11 billion by 2050. Even if a worldwide policy of two children per couple (instead of the current [...]
A recent trip up country took me first to Westport where I called in on the Sustainability Institute, home of the Irish Sustainability Magazine. Right: Sustainability editor Andy Wilson hard at work Andy Wilson’s creation of the Sustainability Magazine has been a remarkable achievement, bringing a much-needed serious journal into the Irish environmental landscape. Starting [...]
I have recently been experimenting with some simple charcoal making in an oil drum. I did a couple of demonstrations a few weeks ago for first a Biodiversity day and second the Slow Food “Munch at the Manch” events at the Manch Forestry project, near Dunmanway. Charcoal will potentially play an important role in the [...]
Friday, February 15, 2008
I had the pleasure of visiting the Cork Community Bike project in Cork City the other day where I found Garrett Blake and Rob in the workshop. Both have been to the inspiring Maya Pedal Project in Guatamala which has created a great range of pedal powered machines including grinders, mills, pumps and generators. This [...]
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Sunday, September 9, 2007
Book Review: Ted Trainer – Renewable Energy Cannot Sustain a Consumer Society Springer 2007 hbck 197pp Ted Trainer, of the University of New South Wales, has made a valuable contribution to the literature of energy and resource depletion with his new book Renewable Energy Cannot Sustain a Consumer Society. The title says a lot I [...]
Thursday, September 6, 2007
I have recently installed a DIY solar panel on the Permacabin (Timber framed cabin with all perma-cons): This has been constructed using clip-fins from CAT and following instructions in their booklet Solar Water Heating- A DIY Guide by Paul Trimby.